


Dawn Of Interlocked Serenity

by Talonticus



Series: Brianna/Mira [1]
Category: Star Wars Legends: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, Drama, F/F, Humor, Post-KotOR II, Romance, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-14
Updated: 2017-07-21
Packaged: 2018-12-02 03:23:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11500770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talonticus/pseuds/Talonticus
Summary: To most of the team, they had seemed like an unexpected union, even to themselves. Brianna might've called Mira a foolhardy daredevil and it wouldn't be strange to consider Mira saying that Brianna was a naive bore. Fortunately, there are more aspects to a bond than the obvious and all it needs is a push in a reasonable direction.





	1. Hearts aligned

**Author's Note:**

> **Main characters:** Brianna, Mira  
>  **Secondary characters:** Meetra Surik _(Female Jedi Exile)_ , Visas Marr, Handmaiden Sisters
> 
> _Hey, Claire Talon here with another Brianna/Mira thing. Wrote one not all too long ago, from an established stage, but this time I wanted to try to show how it started. Whether it's good or not, I can't really say. We'll see, I guess._   
>  _This one is in the same type of Post-KotOR version as my longer fic, "Visions of devastation", but starts out before that story._
> 
> _For the sake of continuity, I'm gonna put this one at the front of the "series", though._

The Force is for many a concept that is not quite as well-understood as it should be, not even by some of its users. Some in the galaxy believe it’s basically magic, that it comes out of nowhere and is distributed at random, while others may think that the Force is simply another piece of technology, too advanced to fully understand and only a few particularly clever individuals have access to it. There are even those in distant sections who might think that the Force is a corruption, a disease that spreads to all kinds of people, without a cure, which might one day swallow the galaxy.

Due to this lack of comprehension for it, there are some who might not understand the limits of the Force, with how far it can go and what it is capable of helping people achieve. For Mira, this was true for a long time, and not just when she was a kid. Even as she grew up among the mandalorians, when they were fighting the Republic and the Jedi, the Force never fully seemed to be anything other than a weapon, something as simple as a blaster. Well, a bit more complicated than that, obviously, as they were winning, but the very idea was still the same. You use it to kill or defeat someone, nothing more complex.

Once she met and bonded with Meetra, that viewpoint had to change. She realized that things were not as simple as she had previously believed and the abilities she had taken for granted proved to actually be her natural sensitivity to the Force. Just that initial spark, the understanding that she had seen it all along, made her realize how wrong she was. Her curiosity and wish to learn increased substantially after that.  
Unfortunately, few things are as simple as merely picking them up and knowing how to use them.

During their time together on the Ebon Hawk, Meetra started to teach her some basic stuff, extensions of what she already knew, all so that she could be more prepared for the Sith they had to fight together. It wasn’t meant as anything widespread, as that would have to come later, if they survived.  
Now, as they’ve headed to Telos IV to rebuild and as the calm has lasted for a couple of weeks, maybe a month, Meetra is trying to expand that training into all of its various fields.

On this day, the two of them sit together inside a calm and quiet room, placed on a mattress on the floor. Meetra said it’s useful for meditation training, that it’s better to have as much space as possible for one’s mind to flow. Whether that was just some Jedi gibberish or the truth, she doesn’t really care, as Meetra has shown to know what she’s doing. Well, most of the time.  
In front of her, as Mira has her eyes closed, there’s a few items on the floor, ones they’re trying to use for this exercise. Or rather, at this time, they’re in the air, shaking a bit as they’re being held up by an invisible force.

In some ways, Mira feels a bit awkward. She has been told that this is the type of stuff Jedi initiates learn when they’re kids, while she’s well into her 20s. Shouldn’t she be able to do more than this by now?

_“Some masters will tell you that the Force is too difficult to teach to older people, that they can never learn to be a Jedi once they’ve reached a certain age, but that’s just banthashit. Stuff they say because kids are usually easier to prattle onto for hours. Has nothing to do with reality or any actual mental or physical difficulty. It always varies from person to person, no matter the age.”_

That’s what Meetra had said before this started, to reassure Mira that there’s nothing wrong with her, that she doesn’t have to feel bad about how she is or what age she’s doing this in. It’s annoying how likeable she can be.  
Unfortunately, this isn’t a great day for Mira to try any mental exercises and soon enough, the items plummet back to the carpet, bouncing and rolling around, until they stop somewhere on the floor.

Mira sighs, shoulders slumping as she shakes her head. Turning her gaze to the side, she places it on the other woman, the proper Jedi in here – dark brown complexion, light brown eyes and long flowing, somewhat unruly black hair. Beneath the brown robes she’s wearing, Mira knows that there’s a fairly well-trained body as well, something she has seen occasionally, and while Meetra doesn’t really use any cosmetics or other accessories, Mira wouldn’t say it diminishes her beauty, nor do the few lines of age that has grown on her lately. It seems to come naturally to this woman, as much as her way to understand people around her on a deeper level.

Mira offers a small smile and shrugs.  
“Sorry. Guess this just isn’t my thing, huh?”

Meetra watches her for a few seconds, scratching her own chin as she does, and then shakes her head.  
“I dunno, I think you were doing pretty well. You just lost your focus for a while, that’s all.”

The former bounty hunter glances down to the floor, eyes caught on the plate, datapad and lamp they had used for this exercise, now lying around in a sprawled-out mess.  
“Yeah, but that’s just it. I’m not good at this mind stuff. There’s too much time to think, to wander. My old mando squad used to complain about that.”

Meetra doesn’t seem to give up, however, offering a gentle smile.  
“You’re too harsh on yourself, Mira, and I also don’t think that assumption is correct.”

Mira glances at her.  
“What do you mean?”

Meetra watches her for a few moments longer and then tilts her head curiously.  
“You’re distracted. I can feel it and that’s probably why you didn’t do so well here. Is there something you want to talk about?”

She should’ve expected that question to come, but she probably underestimated Meetra, again. She always knows what’s up. In the future, Mira should remind herself of that, any time she tries to lie.  
“I dunno. Maybe.”

“Don’t wanna force you but, you know I will always listen, right?”

Mira swallows once, sighs and starts to fidget with her hands.  
“It might be a bit silly. Or stupid.”

“I don’t mind. If it’s important to you, then it doesn’t matter what others may perceive it as.”

Taking a deep breath, Mira tries to get past the fear, the dread of possibly being ridiculed, which is quite a ludicrous sensation here. She has asked loads of questions about the Force in the past and Meetra has been nothing but pleasant and willing to answer them all.  
“Well…I was wondering about, like, your connection to someone.”

“To whom?”

“…Visas.”

Meetra arches a questioning brow, not the type of person she had expected to be asked about, but she doesn’t try to stop her.  
“Alright, go on.”

“Well uh, what was it like, trying to get close to someone who’s sort of, like, cold and dismissive as her?”  
Meetra seems to ponder the question, but Mira catches herself before her teacher can get any further.  
“Wait, that was…not what I meant. I guess that sounded really rude. I’m not saying she’s not nice, I’m sure she is but…I meant, what’s it like to try to date someone who acts like that outwardly?”

Meetra chuckles regardless, not seeming particularly bothered by either implication.  
“Don’t worry, I understood what you meant and I’m sure there’s a bunch of others who would probably agree with either assessment too.  
And well, I mean, can’t say it’s very different from other people I’ve been with in the past.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. She’s a person, admittedly not like everyone else but, there’s affection between us in the same way as other people in love. Well, not exactly the same, obviously, but I find it easy to care for her. What’s so hard to understand about that?”

Mira raises a hand and scratches at the back of her head.  
“I guess it isn’t but, I didn’t mean the actual relationship. Like, wasn’t it hard to create the connection itself? Since she doesn’t seem like a very open person. What did you two even talk about at first?”

For a moment, Meetra grows distant, probably considering the conversations they had on the Ebon Hawk, before she snorts amusedly and shakes her head.  
“Not the type of things most couples do, I bet, but that doesn’t mean it was hard to establish a connection. When you meet someone, and get to know them, you’ll know if it is there or not. That’s always the case, with any person I meet, and if I feel like it’s strong enough, it will naturally grow in the way you interact.”

Mira nods, seeming to at least recognize part of it, but not the entirety.  
“Okay, sounds reasonable, but how do you build on that connection? I don’t even know where to start.  
I mean, would you flirt with that person? If you met someone like Visas, that is. I don’t think I’d even know where to begin on that front. She, or anyone like her, doesn’t seem susceptible to it.”

Meetra tilts her head once more, a somewhat mysterious smile playing on her lips.  
“Not trying to flirt with my girlfriend, are you?”

Mira’s eyes shoot open and she raises her hands defensively.  
“Whoa, what? No no no, that’s…that’s not what I was trying to-…shit, I…look, what I meant was-“

Suddenly, Meetra leans her head back and laughs heartily, apparently enjoying herself.  
“Relax, I was just kidding. You want to know what it’s like to flirt with someone like Visas?”

Mira looks visibly relieved, but internally, she curses Meetra for fooling her.  
“Yeah, someone who just…you know, doesn’t seem to know much about social interaction or is just generally bad at it. Someone who’s blunt and maybe a bit cold.”

The smile on Meetra grows, and she clearly seems to know that something is going on, but it’s hard to tell if she realizes what it might be. Either way, she plays along.  
“Well, to be honest, flirting isn’t really necessary. I mean, I’m sure it can be done, if that’s your thing, but there are more important aspects. Simply talking, spending time together and getting to know one another is what’s usually enough to my mind. If you learn who they are, you’ll know if you belong together, even if that person may seem closed.  
In the end, if there’s a spark, you can easily light a fire, without even trying.”

She makes it sound so simple, almost annoyingly so, and Mira feels lost, as if she’s being a fool for not understanding the basics of something. It’s almost worse than being taught about the Force.  
“Yeah, but…how do you act on that? Just sit down and talk for a while? How long? Doesn’t that eventually get kinda boring?”

“Not if you care about one another. Then again, you don’t necessarily have to do just one thing, and what else you would do is up to you and that other person. Or other people, depending on what you’re into, I guess.  
Like I said, get to know them and you’ll know what to do. Or, do the opposite – if you really like someone, then take them with you to do something that you enjoy. Introduce them to who you are.”

This last sentence, this piece of wisdom in Mira’s mind, is particularly intriguing.  
To who she is, huh? She could probably do that. But would anyone else really enjoy that?  


* * *

  
Before Brianna got on the Ebon Hawk, she didn’t really know what companionship meant.  
Well, she knew what the definition was, and the way it had been spoken of, written about and displayed by others, but she didn’t know what it felt like, how it was to experience the sensations involved.  
This is why she was so uncertain, so skeptical and confused in the company of most of the people who flew with Meetra Surik, and therefore was constantly at odds with them.

In the past, being with others - such as her sisters, relatives and Atris - everything was about duty, expectation and obedience. You had to do what you were told and follow everything to the letter. All interactions had a strict and very clear purpose, at least in her mind, and there were few who were just nice without expecting her to return the favor. Life wasn’t about being satisfied and having fun, anyway, it was about being content that you had a place and uphold certain principles.

This is where the skepticism for the Ebon Hawk crew came from, and worst of all, she constantly suspected a specific person to betray them at any moment. Visas Marr had been Sith, had seen death all around her, and the one she had been obedient to was a monster, a cruel force of nature, who would want nothing more than destruction. How could Visas be anything but the same?  
It was almost humorous that Brianna had completely overlooked how similar they were, how their lives and thoughts had gone along the same paths, and their experiences had met obstacles and difficulties that both could understand. She feels bad about ignoring that now but, earlier, it couldn’t really be helped. Atris had told her how to act and she simply complied, at least until someone else showed her another path. It’s when Brianna understood that, maybe her own view of life had been wrong all along.

As they are both engaged in a session within one of the training facilities of the Enclave, it is amusing for her to consider those days now. Well, it’s not like her and Visas are the best of friends or anything, but they’ve come to an understanding, one that allows for better and calmer interactions. Brianna has realized that she can learn just as much from Visas as she can from Meetra and if she wants to measure her fighting skills with anyone, Visas is a more grounded example. Occasionally, they meditate together, but the physical aspect is something that is more closely on their minds today.

For the most part, Brianna is fairly skilled with a lot of weapons she can get ahold of, even though pikes and staves tend to be her preferred choice. Well, if she had to name her best combat tools, she’d obviously say her own body, but realizes that it’s not advantageous in all situations, which is why she needs to learn how to use more.  
In this particular duel, Visas suggested training sabers, infused with small and short electrical charges, something that is merely there to warn the person being hit that they’ve failed to evade something and act as an incentive to not make the same mistake.

For a while, the two are kept at a fairly even stage, as Brianna both defends herself from most onslaughts, and manages to counterattack, bringing Visas into a position where she must act with speed and caution.  
However, soon enough, it becomes very clear who has the most experience and Brianna spends the last bit of time of the duel losing ground, constantly and desperately attempting to block Visas’ strikes. It cannot last forever.

As Brianna’s blade flies off to the side, Visas hits her leg and she falls down to one knee, holding herself up by her hand. The exhaustion catches up with her and she is panting rather heavily, as sweat pours down her forehead. She feels her whole body vibrating with each beat of her heart and she shakes her head in disappointment.  
“Dammit. I thought I had you there for a time.”

Visas, while of course being in a better state, still shows signs of strain as her chest heaves with every breath she takes.  
“You almost did. You performed very well, Brianna.”

The echani shakes her head, while shutting her eyes.  
“I lost focus at the end and got sloppy. I should’ve done better.”

Visas stands and watches her through the Force sight for a few moments, before offering a hand.  
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You have gotten much better at infusing your weapon strikes with the Force than what you may believe.”

Brianna opens her eyes, looks at the hand for a few seconds and then takes it, allowing the miraluka to pull her back on her feet. At this time, she’s dressed in rather loose clothing – a grey tank top and white pants which doesn’t sit all too tightly on her. Visas on the other hand, utilizes the top of a black robe, intermingled with a violet skirt that reaches past her knees. And the veil, of course, which covers the upper part of her head.  
In a fistfight, Brianna might’ve had the advantage, or so she’d like to believe, but Visas is very skilled in most outfits she wears when it comes to sabers.

“Perhaps”, she reluctantly agrees, “but I believe I still have a long way to go. The Force is…not as easy to control as I had hoped.”

“That is true, but it is why we train as often as we can. Do not fear stagnation, as I can assure you that there are clear signs of progress.”  
Brianna observes her for a moment and then nods briefly, before diverting her eyes to the floor. She's almost about to say something, but hesitates. Visas feels it more than sees it.  
“Is something wrong?”

“No.”  
She stops, licks her lips and clears her throat.  
“Not wrong, per se, but I did notice something earlier.”

Visas tilts her head curiously.  
“During the fight?”

“Yes.” She redirects her eyes towards Visas.  
“I didn’t have the time earlier but, there was something…different about you. Something I sensed deeply within. Intuition, perhaps.”

“Hmm, it sounds as if the Force may have allowed you to glimpse something of your opponent. It is an ability some users have.”

“I suppose so, but I couldn’t really pinpoint what it was.”

Using the Force, Visas drops her training saber and suspends it in the air, while raising Brianna’s up from afar as well. She makes them both drift to the side and places them on a table.  
“Shall we meditate upon it, and see what we can find?”

Brianna likes the idea, as she’s obviously interested, and nods to show her agreement.  
Both of them get seated on the floor, crossing their legs and placing hands on their knees as they begin to search. Visas opens her mind somewhat, allowing Brianna inside and lets herself be guided to where the echani had received that sensation.  
After a short while, Brianna stops and inclines her head, even as her eyes are closed.

“There it is. I think this is what I sensed. A sort of…bright light. A warmth and a wellspring for swirling emotions.”

Visas remains silent for a few moments, before she finally nods as well.  
“Hmm, I see. I believe what you have found is…a mental connection, one that I share with Meetra.”

Brianna reopens her eyes, immediately turning them to Visas.  
“A Force bond?”

“It would seem so, yes.”

She shifts her gaze downwards, looking around searchingly.  
“That’s strange. We all share one with master Surik, as far as I know, and yet yours feel different. Has it been altered somehow?”

Visas sees no need to hide or deceive anyone about the true nature, as most already sort of know what type of relationship they have.  
“I think so, yes, possibly in tune with our growing feelings for one another. I hadn’t considered it before, but I see what you mean.”

“Mm, I wouldn’t say that it’s necessarily stronger, just…”

“More intense?”

Brianna inclines her head once more.  
“It had me curious during the fight, but I did not wish to question you immediately.”

“I see. Are you saying that it distracted you?”

She’s somewhat surprised at first, not having thought of that aspect, and clears her throat briefly.  
“Well…no, not in that sense, just that it made me question its nature. I don’t become distracted that easily.”

“Good. I would have wanted to apologize for stealing your victory otherwise.”

In the past, Brianna would likely have been offended at that tone, thinking it’s dishonest but, she knows now that Visas likely means what she says in most occasions. If she doesn’t like you, she’ll make that very clear.  
“What it’s like?”

“What do you mean?”

“This bond you share with master Surik. I don’t think I’ve ever shared anything with someone on that level.”

“Its level is not any more complex than yours, simply with different emotions involved.”

It seems pretty clear that Visas doesn’t wish to pretend that it means any more than a normal Force bond does and maybe she has a point. There’s still a connection either way, isn’t there?  
“Perhaps, but it’s still an unknown aspect to me, which is why I ask. Is that alright?”

Visas ponders the question and eventually gives in.  
“Yes, it is. However, it is somewhat difficult to put into words. This type of bond has many connotations and weight to different people.  
For me, it is an experience unlike any other, which has given me a wider understanding, not just for the Force, but for myself. I feel as if I now realize my purpose and how I can interact with existence. This has changed me, but I have accepted that change.”

Brianna doesn’t know what to say at first, almost being in awe at the very thought of such a notion. The very indication that something like that exists, which might have such an effect on her, seems impossible at first, until she considers what the friendships with her current companions has already done to her. Not so difficult to comprehend after all.

She lowers her gaze to the floor and folds her arms.  
“I wonder if I will ever find a connection similar to yours. It is certainly an exciting prospect, but difficult to imagine.”

“How so?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps it is due to my lack of interaction on the same level as you and master Surik. I’ve never shared such feelings with anyone. I love the distant thought of my mother, but that is not the same.”

Visas observes her and while she doesn’t say it, she can certainly see the potential.  
“I believe in you, Brianna, and you should not worry all too much for the future of such things. If you do, it might become an obsession.  
The best advice I can give is that you should let life take its course instead, and there is always the potential that it will guide you to someone similar.”  
She’s satisfied with what she said for only a few seconds, when she suddenly sighs briefly.  
“However, always be ready for that this someone might be quite a handful.”


	2. Mired depths

Sounds from insects, both those flying and those playing their melody; musty scents through the thick air; distant shouts and roaring from beasts, and an unsettling view of the sky, closer to a sickly yellow than anything else. Nal Hutta is the type of place that has always made Mira wonder how anything can thrive, except the slug bastards who made it this way. Nar Shaddaa is a moon filled with people, populated to the brim, but the actual planet it’s tied to is like a sewer on a planetwide scale.  
Well, not every portion of this world looks the same, but swamps are the most major terrain, to a frightening degree. Nowhere else she has visited can one wander through areas like this for weeks, maybe months, and see nothing else.  
What one can enjoy on this world, however, is a wide variety of hunts, something she has done before.

As she glances over her shoulder, while they try to navigate their way past several thick pools of murky water, she sees the disapproving look on Brianna’s face. Not a huge surprise that she’d dislike sections like these but, it’s amusing at the same time.  
Neither of them are in their typical gear either, having stored their robes and comfortable clothing elsewhere, in favor of more appropriate articles. They’re both wearing heavy and resilient jackets with pants, and a set of rubber boots, water-resistant and sturdy. All of it is colored in similar shades of green and yellow as their surroundings, to blend in. Attached to their bags, they’ve also got some gasmasks and such, just in case.  
There is even heavier gear available for use out here, but that can get kinda expensive. Mira prefers not to waste all too much credits.

For now, the other Jedi follows Mira, like a tourist pursuing a guide, but she won’t stay silent for long, which wasn’t expected either.  
“This isn’t really something we should be doing, you know.”

Mira slows her pace a bit, allowing them to walk side by side instead.  
“Why would you say that?”

Brianna sighs briefly.  
“We are Jedi, Mira, and we’re not supposed to be hunting people. That is not our task.”

“Why not?”

“Is it not obvious? Jedi should focus on gathering knowledge, wisdom, training and acting as peacekeepers. We are meant to reduce violence, not increase it.”

Mira smirks slightly, not being able to contain herself. She has heard similar opinions before, but interestingly enough not from Meetra.  
“So, just sit around and do nothing, huh?”

Brianna hesitates for a moment, furrowing her brow in concentration and mild irritation.  
“N-No, that’s not quite what I meant. But contemplation doesn’t have to equate doing nothing.”

“Sure, I agree with that, but your viewpoint can be seen as kinda naive. Violence in the galaxy won’t be stopped just because we hide in our enclave, somewhere in the middle of nowhere.  
Hunting can be both good and bad, but for us, it’s about taking down bad guys. I’ve never been a huge fan of Jedi, before I met Meetra, but I feel like that’s part of what Jedi should be doing.”

Brianna’s expression softens somewhat and she exhales once more, this time out of resignation.  
“Very well, I suppose I can give it a chance.”

Mira looks pleased that she managed to convince Brianna. Well, in a way, she already had before they even left. Originally, Mira had just said she wanted to take her to do something interesting, which she believed Brianna would enjoy. It wasn’t until they actually arrived in this star system that she explained what it was about. Brianna hadn’t complained or commented much, just followed along, seeming out of her element. Being out here, just the two of them, gave her a chance to properly voice her concerns.

“Well, I mean, it’s also about having a bit of fun. That’s not such a bad thing either.”

Brianna turns to look at her, arching a skeptical brow.  
“You think violence of this nature is something to call ‘fun’?”

“Sure, why not? It’s exciting in many ways and it’s a new experience for you.”

“Not all new experiences are necessarily enjoyable.”

Mira chuckles.  
“Yeah, okay, that’s true, but this one will be, trust me.  
Besides, this would give us a chance to test a few Force tricks I’ve been trying to hone recently.”

Brianna’s expression suddenly turns from skepticism to curiosity.  
“New tricks?”

“Yeah, from my training. Well, technically they’re not ‘new’. For the most part, it’s stuff I used in my earlier life, but I just didn’t get that it was the Force I was handling. Meetra has been trying to teach me how to wield it properly.  
Wouldn’t be so bad to test it out in action, right?”

Not having had access to something like the Force for most of her life, Brianna has shown great interest in anything new that she can get ahold of and hearing this proposal now seems to have a similar effect.  
“I believe I would enjoy that.”

Suddenly, the former hunter stops in her tracks, resting a hand at the handle of her blaster and the other being raised to Brianna’s shoulder, who halts shortly after.  
“Alright, then let’s get right to it.”

“Now?”

Mira nods and turns her gaze out towards their surroundings. There’s many trees everywhere they look, crooked and pale things, intermingled with so many strange small plants and the numerous pools of water, colored very differently from how it should be if it was drinkable.  
“Whenever I had a target, I would always get, like…a feel for them. I didn’t understand it at the time, but it was the Force guiding me to various lifeforms and their essence.”

“But that was on Nar Shaddaa, correct? There’s a lot of people on that world.”

“Heh, true, but it doesn’t mean things are all that different. Life is life, after all. C’mon, close your eyes.”  
She does it herself and Brianna follows her instructions.  
“Wipe your mind of useless thoughts and instead try to focus on our surroundings. Hear the bugs playing their echoing song, feel the warmth and the slight breeze in the air, take in the stench from waters. Fill your thoughts with the world and draw it out, become as one with them. Let the Force guide you.”

She says it with confidence, but really, she’s just reciting something that Meetra told her at some point. She was scared then, didn’t understand and it was overwhelming. Despite not being entirely used to it still, the sensation is a lot more familiar and soothing now.  
At the same time, Brianna is experiencing it as well, something she has tried before, but not on this scale.  
“I…I feel it. The insects, the creatures in the tainted liquid, the very earth beneath our feet…”

Mira smiles, not having expected to feel quite so good about helping her out like this.  
“Good. Now expand it, try to go even further and see what else you can find.”

Obviously, she is still being guided here, as Mira knows what they’re after, but not the exact location of their targets.  
“I can see…some sort of avian beings in the sky, trying to get back to their nest; a scaly predator following its prey, as it goes for a small meal close to a field…”  
Her brow furrows even further than before.  
“People.”

“People?”

“Yes. Humanoids, with guns, clothes, tents and more.”

Mira suddenly opens her eyes, smiles wider and squeezes Brianna’s shoulder gently.  
“Take us there.”  
  


* * *

  
It takes them about half an hour of wandering further into the swamp, moving much more silently than before as to not attract attention, until they finally get a good view of what they’re after. Brianna had seen them in the vision, but not in much detail. She could only understand that it was people of some kind.

A group of three individuals stand around in a camp, wearing medium to heavy armor, and having various boxes placed close to their tents. For the most part, similarly to Mira and Brianna, they’ve got stuff that blends in rather well with these surroundings.

Once she believes they’ve come far enough, Mira slows down, leading them in behind a tree that is not all too close to the waters and gets into a crouching position. Brianna follows suit.  
“That’s the group we’re after”, Mira says in a quiet tone.

“Who are they?”

“Members of a small gang who usually roam around these parts. They’re also hunters, but going after different prey than us.”

Brianna shifts her eyes towards her companion, studying her closely.  
“Not animals then, I assume.”

Mira snorts, while she furrows her brow somewhat.  
“Nope, although I bet that’s what they see it as.  
You know about the evocii?”

Giving the name a thought for a few moments, Brianna eventually shakes her head.  
“I don’t think so. Why?”

“They used to be the original denizens and natives of this world, millennia ago, before the hutts bought everything up and made it their own. Nowadays, they live as slaves, small rebel tribes or otherwise are forgotten.  
Instead of hunting typical bounties, the people you see here hunt the poorer and more exposed species on Hutta, especially evocii.”

If Brianna wasn’t frowning before, she certainly is now, as her distaste grows.  
“What? Why?"

“Some rich assholes around the galaxy, like the hutts, will pay for ‘live samples’ of different species, especially evocii. Others just want body parts for various reasons – research, meat for their beasts, trophies and so on. I used to see that shit on the bounty boards.”

She hears how Brianna inhales deeply and slowly exhales. Mira can practically touch the anger coming out of her.  
“That is unbelievably cruel.”

“It is, and this is why I thought we might as well teach these bastards a lesson. They’re probably expecting to take down a few stray and innocent evocii, but instead, they’ll get some badass Jedi.”

It’s pretty clear that Brianna doesn’t want to say that the thought is satisfying, but Mira can both see and feel it from her.  
She turns to glance curiously at the former hunter.  
“How much is the bounty on this group?”

The snort she emits this time is a mix of amusement and bitterness.  
“Bounty? There’s nothing like that on these people. On Nal Hutta, hunting evocii isn’t as illegal as it should be. They would never admit to doing it, if the Republic came and asked, but they’re not gonna inform them of what’s going on either.”

“What? Nothing at all? Surely, they can’t get away with it that easily?”

“Oh, there’s a few official regulations and such, but no one gives a shit about that. I’ve never read or heard of any evocii hunter doing any jail time.”

The echani slowly turns her gaze back to the gang, practically glaring at them.  
“I suddenly see the point behind your previously stated opinion.”

That makes Mira grin.  
“Thought you might.  
Now, before we go in, think it’s time I tell you a few of my tricks which are useful for a hunter. You need to know how I fight these people.”

Brianna calms down slightly.  
“Using the Force in combat? I already know of such things and I am not sure any further is needed. I have always had a certain precognition that few others are capable of, something which master Surik claimed was my most obvious connection to the Force.”

Mira nods, remembering how Meetra mentioned what some of the others have managed to do previously in their lives, without fully realizing it was the Force helping them out.  
“Yeah, and that’s obviously useful, but being a hunter means doing more than just knowing how to act in combat a second before it happens. It’s about having a tactical viewpoint, an understanding for how people move and react, way before they even make the strike.”

Part of her probably wishes to remain skeptical but, she opens up, knowing that Mira has more expertise in this field than she does.  
“And how would you do that?”

“Well, back in my days on Nar Shaddaa, I always used to watch their eyes, read their stances, get a feel for what they might be thinking. It helped me with learning how their mind works, more than just predicting them. You gotta be the prey and the predator simultaneously.”

Brianna nods slowly, sort of understanding, but words can also mean less than actions.  
“I see. I shall try to keep that in mind. How do you wish to proceed?”

Raising her eyes, Mira sweeps the area with her gaze and loads of ideas swirl through her mind.  
“Hmm. Think you can get up in one of these trees?”

Following where she’s looking, Brianna inclines her head.  
“Yes, easily.”

“Alright, if you do that, I’ll make sure that you can stage an ambush. Just follow my lead.”

She then gets to watch as Brianna quickly stands up, makes a few preparations and then launches herself towards the tree. She takes one long leap, lands with a single foot on the trunk of the tree and tries to use it as a platform to get further up. Raising her arms, she gets ahold of one of the branches and heaves herself on top of it. The whole procedure goes fast and almost completely soundlessly, leaving Mira quite impressed.

As Brianna appears to be waiting, Mira moves to prepare as well, sneaking close to their targets and gets herself an adequate line of fire.  
Giving the echani one last look, to make sure she’s ready, Mira then exposes herself, lifts out her blaster pistol and fires towards the hunters.  
The lights from the shots can easily be seen, as they illuminate the otherwise rather dim area, along with the fairly loud noise they emit as well. Each of the projectiles miss, but what they don’t realize is that it’s on purpose.

Immediately after, Mira gets into cover as the hunters duck, grab their weapons and find something to hide behind as well. Soon enough, more blaster fire from various rifles and pistols can be seen leaving their marks on the terrain.  
However, as they merely move to react to what Mira does, she makes calculated and clever choices. Every now and then, she jumps out, fires a few shots and then finds a new place to hide behind. While it would seem that she’s somehow foolishly getting into a fight that she can only lose, Brianna notices how she lures them in brilliantly. It’s here she understands what the human mentioned earlier, knowing beforehand what they intend to do. It’s more than mere battle precognition and closer to an understanding for tactics and humanoid behavior.

Eventually, when one of them gets close enough, Brianna leaps down, landing gracefully on the ground next to the hunter. He sees the landing, but he’s far too late to stop her from her goal. He raises his rifle, but she pushes it aside, slams a closed fist into his abdomen, which makes him buckle, and then kicks at his knees. As he falls, she raises her arm and delivers an elbow to the back of his head, and he’s out cold.

Shortly after this happens, the only woman from the hunting gang notices this and turns her rifle to fire at Brianna, who quickly gets in behind cover. Every shot misses, and it gives Mira a good opportunity to get closer to help out.  
The woman does notice the movement happening in the corner of her eye, but Mira has already lined up a shot, firing at the lower section of her leg. As she falls to her knees, Mira rushes up to her and knocks her out by hitting her on the head with pistol grip.

As only one hunter remains, he seems to have gotten rather desperate and tries to switch targets between the two, hoping to prevent them from getting a shot at him.  
Mira sacrifices some of her own chances by attempting to steal most of the attention, firing several shots from behind cover and even tossing a flashbang, which doesn’t do much.  
Shortly after it explodes however, Brianna throws caution to the wind and charges in. Unfortunately, she only gets halfway before he notices what’s going on and shifts all of his firepower to launch it directly at her.

Brianna has been under fire before, many times, both during the months with master Surik and prior to it. However, it’s rare for her to be in such a poor situation, where she’s completely exposed and there being almost no chance that the gun can miss, unless the shooter does not know what they’re doing. At this very moment, it’s unlikely that he would.  
Time almost seems to stand still as Brianna tries to fight her wavering emotions, trying to hold herself somewhere in between chaos and serenity, but it’s not easy. Even her precognition may not be enough at this time.

That’s when Mira’s words appear in her mind, as an epiphany. Immediately, she turns to watch his eyes, read his stance. She can see the fear in them, the tension in his hands and arms, how panic seeps out of his mind. Merging this knowledge with her precognition, she continues to run, but takes a quick step to the right and sees how the blaster bolt just barely misses her, being sent to the left. The next one does the same, and Brianna immediately switches direction, jumping to the left. The third shot grazes her pants, but otherwise misses, and the fourth shoots far too wide.

As if having flown through the air, Brianna is then upon him and as he’s currently on one knee, she only has to jump up slightly to deliver a kick to his head, making him not only drop his gun, but fall backwards, immediately losing consciousness.  
She stops right in front of where he lands and breathes out, feeling her heart pounding and her lungs trying to get in as much air as possible, not caring how unpleasant it might be. She can hardly believe she made it out of that situation without even a scratch.

Off to the side, she suddenly hears a short sound from someone cheering and clapping, before seeing how Mira approaches her with a wide smile on her lips.  
“That was amazing! I wasn’t sure if you were running or flying there at the end.”

Brianna is still panting, but also trying her best to collect herself.  
“Me neither. It was…quite a spectacle.”

“Pretty exciting, right?”

As Mira wanders closer, Brianna can’t help but share some of that sensation, by displaying a faint smile of her own.  
“Yes, I think that is an adequate way to describe it.”

“Can’t really say much other than that you performed well. I’m impressed. Guess some of my tricks worked out, huh?”

“They certainly did.”

Mira is about to say something else, but halts before going that far, as she spots movement further out in the swamp. Not all too far away, she was sure she saw the flash of light and a color that doesn’t belong. Acting on instinct, Mira jumps forward and gets an arm around the echani.  
“Look out!”

The two plummets straight to the ground, Brianna’s eyes widened in shock, even more so as they hear the loud noise of another blaster rifle firing and its bolt whizzing past them.  
Mira ends up with Brianna below her, while still holding onto her gun, and desperately attempts to fire a few shots at the other person.  
Brianna grunts slightly in pain from having hit the ground so hard, but tries to focus on the matter at hand instead. They notice how the last hunter has hidden while moving into position and gained a better angle for taking them both down.

Instead of getting up to prepare herself for combat, Brianna closes her eyes and concentrates, attempting to get a feel for their opponent and where they’re going.  
Just as they appear within Mira’s line of sight, Brianna raises her hand and pulls it backwards in a swift motion. Out of nowhere, the hunter gasps in surprise and falls, as if someone yanked their legs. Being completely unprotected, Mira initiates the stun setting on her gun and fires two quick shots, blasting the shooter right in their chest and they fall back to the ground, unconscious, just like their comrades.

After it’s done, Mira drops her hands to the ground again, breathing out in relief. A sudden exhaustion has come over her now, having been a little bit too close to death in a very short time.  
However, as she turns her gaze back to her companion, they’re both brought to further silence, as their positions are quite…precarious.  
Mira is still lying right on top of Brianna, their legs somewhat interlocked and when the echani sits up while supporting herself with her arms, their faces are no more than a few inches apart.

Mira clears her throat.  
“Uh…sorry. I just…erm-“

“I know”, Brianna responds quietly, not quite sure what else to say.

Their eyes continue to meet, and there’s something in the air, something that wasn’t there previously. For a moment, during the end of that fight, their minds had intertwined, practically merged, and each knew exactly how to act at a moment’s notice, as well as what the other would do. It was both an enlightening experience and something entirely foreign. Felt good, but also somewhat frightening.  
This, together with the physical intimacy, makes Mira blush slightly, not something she’s able to prevent. At the same time, Brianna is speechless, not knowing quite how she feels.

Mira eventually clears her throat, eyes drifting elsewhere and she stands up, offering a hand to help Brianna up. She takes the hand and they both stand still in close proximity. Mira keeps flickering back and forth, not sure if she wishes to act on it or not.  
“That was…somethin’ else, huh?”

Brianna’s eyes seem to search the others, a reaction similarly uncertain and shy, but on the opposite end.  
“Yes, it…it certainly was.”

More silence, as the seconds go by. Mira turns to glance at the unconscious bodies around them, and it appears as if she’s about to go to them, but she hesitates, not knowing if she wants to act first, before the opportunity goes away.  
Realizing that nothing will progress if she continues to listen to her mind rather than her heart, Mira inhales sharply and then closes the distance between them once more. She shuts her eyes, raises a hand to Brianna’s cheek and locks their lips together.

The kiss is brief, probably not lasting more than a second or two, but it lingers after it’s gone. Whether it is instilled with purpose and desire is hard to tell, as it’s difficult to say how developed the emotions behind it is, but it happens nonetheless.  
Brianna then sees how Mira nudges her head towards the hunters.  
“Let’s go tie ‘em up and get them off-world. I’m sure we can find someone that would be willing to lock assholes like this up somewhere.”

Brianna’s eyes are kept in the same spot for a while, not answering as she raises a few fingers to brush at her own lips. Something stirs in the depths of her mind, an unfamiliar warmth.


	3. Regulated touch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I'm not great at writing kisses, because I tend to describe the emotions and thoughts around it, rather than the actual physical aspect of it._   
>  _But I guess there's some kissing in this one._

Despite the Jedi Enclave’s location being fairly remote – not just on Telos IV but in the galaxy overall – the Order has not had all too much difficulty establishing some of the more crucial aspects of having an outpost like this. Due to the close vicinity of the Citadel Station in orbit, they have quick access to resources that they can’t make themselves and transport to other parts of the galaxy, should they require it.  
However, they’re also fairly glad to have been able to utilize the communication buoy’s in space, to gain access to the HoloNet. Without it, they would likely have had a lot of trouble understanding the current situation in the galaxy and it has also given them the opportunity to monitor their own reputation. So far, thankfully, most people don’t seem to care about the Jedi.

Brianna isn’t really one to usually browse the HoloNet much, as she finds it distracting and sometimes quite frivolous. However, even she acknowledges that some things can only be attained here. One such aspect is the ability to maintain a network with other professionals within the field of history and among enthusiasts. She’s not all too well-versed in it so far, but as the new head of the Jedi Archives, she figures that it is probably wise to keep this in mind. If there’s any new information or discoveries, she would obviously want to be able to hear more.

While she’s not paying it much attention, Mira is sitting by her side, currently reading something of her own, but on a datapad. While Brianna is sitting with her back in a straight angle, it might be better to call Mira’s pose ‘slouching’. She does look to be comfortable, but not as orderly as her companion.  
Ever since that hunt a couple of weeks ago, Mira has displayed her emotions clearly, how she wishes to spend more time together. She occasionally comes around, like now, to hang out together or just let them sit next to each other. Every now and then, she might ask if Brianna wants to do some activity and so far, the echani hasn’t turned her down.  
Brianna isn’t entirely sure how she feels but, she will admit that there’s a certain comfort in having Mira here.

Currently, Brianna doesn’t know quite what it is that Mira is reading, but if she recalls correctly, master Surik had told her to study some type of Jedi text. By the human’s expression, it’s not the most entertaining piece of literature. As her brow furrows later on, it’s also possible that it’s annoying her somehow. 

“You know, the Jedi Code is pretty stupid”, she says, after coming out from several minutes of silence. 

Brianna shifts her attention slightly towards her companion.  
“Why would you say that?”

Mira raises her datapad as if to indicate it.  
“Have you even read this thing? And the texts about it?”

Brianna nods curtly and turns her gaze to the screen once more.  
“Of course I have, I know it by heart.  
Atris made sure that her Handmaidens would learn and know of it, as well as its underlying purpose. Even if we were not Jedi, it was crucial to her that we know how Jedi operated, in order to better understand how to oversee their activities and how they work.”

It’s a story that Mira has heard before, not just from Brianna, but from Meetra as well. Personally, she feels that Atris’ viewpoint was kinda cruel, not just for the Jedi who would have had to suffer through it, but for the Handmaidens as well. How can one ever build a functioning Order with such a strict and regulated mindset?  
For now, she doesn’t get into that, though. She doesn’t want to criticize Brianna, nor discuss her past. That’s best left for another day.

“Okay, so what do you think of it?”

“The Code?”

“Yeah.” 

As she can’t talk and absorb all that she’s reading at the same time, Brianna leans back and folds her arms, a thoughtful gaze turned to the table where the terminal is located.  
“In general, I believe the Code is quite a wise philosophy.” 

“Why?”

“Because it helps individuals moderate themselves. The Force can be a dangerous aspect of reality, if misused, and the Code is there to help users know what to do, without becoming a danger to their surroundings.” 

Mira can see what she means, but she still tilts her head back and forth skeptically.  
“Yeah, maybe. Don’t you think it’s kinda limiting, though?” 

“I suppose that depends what one views as the necessary limits, but for the most part, I do not agree. It merely tries to facilitate a mindset which aids users in keeping themselves grounded. I don’t see how that could be a bad thing.” 

To Mira, this feels like either the two of them have very different opinions of society, or they are influenced by completely different cultural norms.  
“Mm, don’t think I agree with that. The problem with the Code is that it doesn’t work with people.  
In many ways, it’s not just limiting, it’s also prohibitive. It tries to take away things that comes naturally to most humanoid species in the galaxy.”

“Why would that not work with people? Surely, most would be strong enough to limit ourselves in some way, to benefit others?”

Mira turns to look at her a little bit more directly.  
“Well, okay, look at it this way - do you believe that emotions and passions are completely useless to us?”

Brianna considers the question for a few moments and then shakes her head.  
“Not necessarily, no, but they can certainly be damaging if not kept in check.”

“Yeah, I guess, but wouldn’t it be better to control those parts then, instead of forbidding people from considering them altogether?  
At least Meetra seems to think so.” 

Mentioning Meetra’s name in discussions like this can be sort of like cheating. She’s technically the master of each member of their new Order and has brought them all onto a new and fairly reasonable path. Putting her into debates means that one might immediately get the upper hand, because who among them would try to oppose her?  
Well, maybe Visas, but that’s a very specific exception.

“Perhaps you’re right, and I will admit that this might be preferable, but I don’t think that means we should dismiss the Jedi Code entirely. It can still be useful to go by, as an initial guide, rather than rules that must be adhered to at all times.  
After all, has it not helped the Jedi stay together for generations?”

Mira nods slowly, but she still displays skeptical notions.  
“Sure, sort of. Although, seems pretty obvious that it hasn’t been like this forever. We could clearly see that the Jedi Code wasn’t enough to keep them on the same page during the Mandalorian Wars, or the Jedi Civil War. I mean, that’s why we’re here.” 

Brianna hasn’t forgotten about it, but she hoped this point wouldn’t be raised. She hesitates, before she continues.  
“That doesn’t necessarily have to mean that the Jedi Code is bad or at fault. Not all Jedi agreed with Revan and her followers.” 

“Yeah, and that’s just it. The Jedi Code wasn’t just a philosophy in this Order; it’s been a set of rules among them for ages, meant to regulate them. That’s why it didn’t work.”

“But isn’t it simply the same way how laws in the Republic operate?”

Mira shakes her head.  
“It’s not. Laws decide what people can do, not how their minds have to work. It’s what I’ve been trying to say here and why it’s so flawed; the Code tries to decide what and how people should think and feel, rather than what they can do and that doesn’t always succeed.  
Since it is rules set up to control your head, it must be much broader and less restrictive, or else it’s bound to clash with people. That’s just how society works.” 

It’s rare for these two to discuss philosophy together, or even the inner workings of the Order, which is why Brianna finds this conversation particularly interesting. Then again, since this Code could influence Mira directly, she likely feels it’s more urgent to deal with.  
“I wonder if that is true in every case. The Code has worked for a lot of people for centuries, as I said earlier, without too much conflict. Perhaps some here and there, but nothing so drastic as in recent decades.” 

“Yeah, I agree. It has been a Code that a lot of people can accept, but ‘a lot’ is very far from ‘everyone’. If it was just a philosophy, something that people could follow in different ways, I wouldn’t mind, but they’ve been trying to jam this into the heads of the entire Order. When they do, the Jedi misunderstand their members and that pulls some people into other avenues. Revan is the obvious example, but there’s many more, even if we ignore all of her followers.”

Brianna wants to agree and disagree at the same time, which can be frustrating. It’s probably best to focus on one part for now.  
“I think you raise a few valuable arguments, but at the same time, had some of them - such as Revan - not been so bad at controlling their emotions, this would not have happened in the first place.  
Emotions and feelings are useful, I do not dispute this, but one cannot be completely controlled by them either, as it will merely end in self-destructive paths.” 

Mira is glad that Brianna doesn’t just dismiss her. Because they can disagree, while still understanding one another, it helps build some of Mira’s respect for the other woman.  
“Okay, but how much?  
I mean, let’s take attraction as an example. Do you think it’s a bad thing and that it’ll hurt people?” 

The question immediately makes Brianna hesitate, as it’s not one she had expected to hear. How come they had to go with that topic out of all those which the Code might limit in some way?  
She clears her throat, trying to give it enough thought before she responds.  
“Well, on a surface level, I suppose it does not. But as many have seen and mentioned in the past, love can also make you do desperate and foolish things, which causes destruction and pain for others, depending on the circumstances.  
No emotion has a clear-cut path, and that is why they must be controlled in the first place.” 

Mira smiles, clearly amused by the response, as she emits a quick snort.  
“True enough, I guess. However, attraction doesn’t always have to mean ‘love’. It can be emotional friendship, admiration…or even desire.” 

At the last word, Brianna swiftly turns to gaze at her, their eyes immediately interlocking, and it’s enough to make the historian clear her throat again.  
“I…suppose you are correct. I can’t say I know much myself, as I don’t have a lot of experience with the last suggestion.” 

“No? That’s a shame. I do, and it’s not as bad as whatever the Jedi might say or think about it.”  
She slides her chair a little bit closer to her companion.  
“If you want, I wouldn’t mind showing you what it can be like.” 

Brianna just sits there and stares at her, not knowing what to say. It happens quite often that she becomes speechless in Mira’s company, as the hunter can have that effect with one of her strange quandaries. Is she being serious right now? Brianna can’t tell.  
However, as she falters, Mira somehow sees that either as an opportunity or an invitation. She leans forward, slowly, allowing Brianna to move out of it if she wishes to, but she doesn’t do anything. While planting a hand on her shoulder, Mira shuts her eyes and pushes their lips together in a kiss. 

It’s been a while since they last did this and they haven’t discussed the nature of it ever since. Last time, it just sort of came out of nowhere, without any explanation. Well, they could both feel a possible source, but not one that either had expected anyone would act upon. This union is not only a tad more careful, but also lasts longer.  
Both of their eyes shut as their lips remain interlocked in silence for what seems like minutes, but can be no more than a couple of seconds. Slowly and gently, Mira begins to move hers, sliding against her companion’s and tries to guide Brianna as much as possible. On the opposite end, the historian simply lets it flow through them, allowing herself to be swept away by the currents, and feels how she’s being filled with emotions that she doesn’t know what to do with. 

After it finally ends, by Mira gradually pushing herself away, Brianna notices how she’s panting lightly and how her body vibrates, along with each heavy heartbeat, which pulsates in reaction to this entire event.  
She doesn’t open her eyes until she hears Mira’s voice, spoken almost as quietly as a whisper.  
“Did you feel like you lost control completely there?”

Brianna has to try to stabilize herself, not wishing to seem foolish. It was just a kiss, nothing more. Or it should have been.  
Her gaze returns to Mira then, searching the other woman’s face, especially directing it towards the lips which had such an effect on her. She licks her own and shakes her head.  
“I’m…not out of my mind yet, that’s true, but it did take its toll on me. It was…heavier than I anticipated.” 

Mira chuckles and raises her hand, brushing a few fingers along Brianna’s cheek.  
“Well, guess that’s to be expected. You have so little experience, after all. Doesn’t mean you can’t get better though, just like anyone else. You only need someone smart and knowledgeable to teach you.  
I would be glad to help out.” 

Brianna sighs.  
“I am sure you would, but I’m uncertain if you could really be classified as a teacher.”

“Well, I’m not a certified ‘make out teacher’, no, but I’m pretty good at what I do. Has to count for something.” 

“Good or eager?” 

Mira’s lips curl into a smirk.  
“You’d be surprised how often those two can be the same thing.”  
She suddenly gestures with her hand, as if to ask her to come closer.  
“C’mon, lemme show you.”

Brianna seems a little bit confused, obviously still affected by the kiss.  
“What do you mean?”

“It’s your turn. Give it a try and I’ll show that I can be just as good on the receiving end.”  
She notices how Brianna hesitates, fidgeting with her own hands. The fact that she doesn’t immediately turn Mira down, which she has displayed that she’s more than capable of, does mean that there is a certain desire involved.  
“Come on, just go for it. Give it your best shot.” 

Trying to be brave, Brianna takes a deep breath, and then slides herself closer. She places a hand on Mira’s chest for support, and then leans in as far as she can, connecting their lips similarly to before, but doesn’t quite reach the same level. In fact, hers turns out to be inadvertently deeper than the last, which surprises Mira, as she had sort of expected something more chaste.  
The former hunter shuts her eyes, doing her best to return the kiss rather than leading it, letting Brianna go her own way. 

Her way soon shows to not quite be what Mira had envisioned. Brianna places her other hand on Mira’s thigh, squeezing it lightly. While Mira lets herself be guided, she realizes that Brianna wants a fiercer connection and parts her lips, guiding their tongues to collide. Instinctively, she raises a hand to place it behind Brianna’s head, stroking a few fingers through the white hair.  
When she had mentioned ‘desire’, she hadn’t thought of what effect that might have on this woman, and at this point, she wonders if they may be getting involved in something entirely different. Has she even done it on a chair before? Mira isn’t sure.

However, Brianna suddenly catches herself in the act and gasps while she abruptly pushes away. Once they’re done, the echani is breathing heavier than previously and even Mira’s chest heaves slightly.  
Now sitting back in her chair again, Brianna tries to cover her face with one of her hands, but it’s still possible to see her cheeks blushing.  
“I…I apologize. I believe I got carried away.”

Mira chuckles and then shifts the location of her hand, putting it on top of one of Brianna’s.  
“Hey, I really enjoyed that, so there’s nothing to be sorry for. If you’d told me what to expect, I might’ve been able to accommodate you a bit better, though.” 

Being able to manage some of her embarrassment, Brianna allows herself to lower the other hand and look at her companion. Will she ever be able to see her in the same light as before, now that another type of sensation has been created?  
“It…was certainly satisfactory. I have to agree that you do know what you’re doing.” 

Mira winks playfully.  
“Told ya. If you ever want another lesson, well…you know where you can find me.” 

“I suppose I do.”  
She hesitates, looking down at the floor.  
“Just…don’t tell the others.” 

“Don’t worry, Bree, this secret is safe with me.” 

Instead of hesitating as before, she stops at a particular word, wondering if she heard correctly, and turns back to Mira.  
“Did you call me ‘Bree’?”

“Mhm, I did. Thought of it earlier. I kinda like it, actually. Don’t you?” 

“That’s not my name.”

“Whatever you say, Bree.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Mira wanted to give her own touch to their possible relationship, to let them have something that the others can't. It's why she made up that nickname._


	4. One step home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _So, this last chapter occurs a while after the previous one, when Mira and Brianna has grown even closer. If you've read "Visions of devastation", I imagine that this would be somewhere after that conversation between Meetra and Brianna, when they discussed the message she had received._
> 
> _In this one, I also have two of the Handmaiden sisters. I noticed that there's no source for their names (or if they stripped themselves of the names, like Brianna) anywhere, so I decided to make up some of my own. They're not followers of Atris now either. This obviously means that, in my version of the events of KotOR 2, those sisters were never killed after their showdown._
> 
> _Also, I know that their models are almost identical in-game to Brianna's (except the hair), but since she is supposed to be half-human and the rest are only echani, I chose to describe their complexions differently here, closer to what is mentioned in the expanded universe._

Eshan. It’s been quite a while since Brianna even saw a glimpse of it, much less considered actually visiting the planet. For her, it had become a place filled with forgotten dreams and lost possibilities, a world she must forbid herself from seeing again, lest more unfortunate futures should befall her.  
And yet, even as she thought this, she now finds herself on a shuttle heading down to the very surface of that world, in order to have a meeting she never could’ve suspected just a year ago.

Obviously, she’s not here alone, as that would’ve been far too much of a heavy burden for her. A couple of weeks ago, she met a few of her sisters alone on a Republic space station, for an encounter that at least changed the path of her life in some small way, as she now won’t be forgetting her family anymore. It was on that occasion that this second meeting was decided, which would somehow be much more meaningful and in a way, painful, due to its purpose. This is why going alone would’ve been virtually impossible.

By her side, Mira is sitting a little bit uncomfortably, as she’s unsure of what exactly would be appropriate to say here. While Brianna is in her grey robes, Mira wears the green ones she has been using for a little while now. It seemed more appropriate in an official capacity such as this.  
However, even if she may be uneasy about it, the whirling emotions she can sense inside Brianna makes her suspect that the historian is having it much worse at this time.

The thought of her actually being able to sense emotions this clearly now is astounding for several reasons, but it also has to make her acknowledge how strong their bond has grown. They’re not quite at the level of Meetra and Visas, perhaps, but the connection is still undeniable.  
For now, she glances in Brianna’s direction and even though it should be obvious that she is, her companion isn’t moving to react to it.

“Hey, you okay?”, she asks carefully.

Brianna hesitates, her gaze distant and troubled. For a few moments, Mira wonders if she’s not going to respond, until a brief sigh can be heard.  
“No, I am not.” 

“Anxious?”  
No response this time. Mira doesn’t like the idea of someone that matters so much to her having to feel this way. Some of it may be a bit selfish, as those emotions infect her too, but that doesn’t take away from the compassion.  
She lifts her hand and places it on top of Brianna’s.  
“You shouldn’t be. It’ll be fine, Bree. We’ll handle this together and make it through unharmed.” 

Brianna closes her eyes and exhales through her nose.  
“I’m not so sure of that.”  
And that’s as far as she’s willing to comment on it for now, letting the rest of the trip linger in silence.

Once they finally get closer to the location they’re about to land on, somewhere in the southern hemisphere of the planet, Mira sees that they’re several miles outside of a fairly large city. The area they enter is mostly made up of a large green field, with the occasional collection of trees here and there, not quite enough to be called a forest.  
Seemingly in the middle of nowhere stands a large structure, long and ancient. It is a wall, at least ten meters tall, crafted from stone, with intricate statues and ancient writing along its length. Before they land, Mira can see that the interior of it has no roof, and that the wall itself is built in a large oval shape. She gets the feeling that this area probably has some important historical significance, just by looking at it.

After landing and exiting the shuttle, the couple leaves the vicinity of it and moves through a set of doors, heading towards the center.  
The interior is quite dissimilar from what they saw outside. The design is constructed in layers, with each being a several meters long and providing different things to see. The outermost one is like a garden, filled with lines of flowers, plants and stone sculptures.  
The second is a stream of water, almost like a moat, but much thinner, with several bridges built over it, allowing visitors to get across from more than one direction.  
The very middle is the largest of them all, as it consists of large ornate stone structures, buildings of some kind, which Mira doesn’t really recognize. Having grown up on ships with mandalorians and then on Nar Shaddaa, seeing all these well-preserved ancient constructions is both fascinating and completely foreign to her.

As the two of them have now entered the garden layer, Mira gives the open sky a quick look, before seeing how Brianna has turned to face another direction. Across the road, they see two other people in robes approaching, both of them in shades of red.  
The white-haired duo advancing towards them is somewhat familiar, reminding Mira of Brianna, but doesn’t quite go the whole way. However, she cannot perceive any immediate difference between the two of them on a surface level. Seeing their chalk-pale skin though, it seems pretty clear that they’re full echani and not half-human as Brianna. 

The two sisters stop not all too far away from the Jedi duo, and their eyes are instantly turned towards the one in grey robes. It’s hard for Mira to read their emotions, but if she were to guess, the silence is a sign that they’re hesitant.  
When one of them finally speaks, it is done gently and carefully.  
“Brianna.” 

Glancing at her companion, Mira can see how Brianna’s expression softens very slightly and she breathes in.  
“Faleni”, she says to the sister on the right, “Vieta”, to the one on the left.  
“It is…good to see you both.”

Faleni inclines her head.  
“And you too. We were not entirely certain that you would be willing to come.” 

Mira thinks it’s quite interesting that these two also sound different from Brianna. However, they do utilize the same even tone as their younger sister.  
Brianna glances around the area a bit. There are other people here, most of them gathered in the center, but not the ones she’s searching for.  
“Where are the others?”, she asks.

Faleni and Vieta turns to share a brief and uncertain look.  
“They were…busy with other tasks”, Vieta admits.

It’s hard to deny the disappointment on Brianna’s expression when she hears it and she folds her arms.  
“So, they didn’t want to be here, I guess.” 

The two former handmaidens almost seem to squirm when being faced with this prospect, but keeps going.  
“It’s not quite as simple as that but, we also do not wish to lie and give you false hope”, Faleni tells them.  
“This whole scenario has been very…difficult for them. They were not quite sure what to do when we discussed the matter, and therefore chose to abstain.”

Brianna shakes her head, raising a hand to show them that no more is necessary.  
“I understand. Perhaps I should not have expected things to be completely different. It hasn’t been all too long since our showdown.” 

Her comment brings silence to the situation, and an almost palpable awkwardness. Mira considers trying to break it after a few seconds, but glancing at Brianna, it seems clear that she doesn’t want it to happen, so the hunter lets it be.  
Eventually, Vieta is the one who finally dares to say something.  
“How have you been as of late?”

“Fine, for the most part. Better than I used to be, at any rate. The enclave on Telos IV does not feel as confining anymore.”

The comments feel scathing to Mira, as if she’s giving indications for how horrible it used to be, but it’s not possible to see any immediate effect on the other sisters.  
“Is everyone else treating you well?”, asks Faleni. 

“They are. I enjoy being in the presence of most of them. Not at all times but, it is much better than I would’ve initially believed.”

Vieta shifts her attention towards the other woman, clearly drawn to this due to their current conversational topic.  
“Who is this person that you have brought with you?”

Brianna gives her companion a sideways glance and gestures with a hand.  
“This is Mira, one of my fellow Jedi back at the enclave.”

Mira offers them a smile, as well as a quick and, hopefully, friendly wave.  
“Hey there. Nice to meet you. Bree has told me a bit about you.” 

The two sisters do nothing more than incline their heads.  
“Are you being taught by Meetra Surik?”, Vieta inquires.

“Well yeah, most of the time. I’m still a bit rough, though, so I can’t say I’m an expert yet, exactly. I try my best.” 

“From what we experienced during her visit, she is very talented and most probably a good teacher. If you follow her lessons, you will likely go far.”

“Heh, yeah, I hope so too. She’s very nice to be around.” 

It seems that the conversation goes back and forth between the two, almost as if they know what the other is thinking, to switch the topics accordingly. This is why Faleni takes over immediately after Mira’s response.  
“Are you aware of why we have chosen to meet this day?”

Mira hesitates, glancing between them and her fellow Jedi.  
“Uh, well, not really. Bree didn’t tell me all that much, only that she wanted me here.” 

Faleni only nods curtly, not seeming particularly bothered by her unawareness.  
“We are going to gather here today, with a few other individuals, to honor our father, General Yusanis.”  
She gestures with her hand towards the stone buildings in the middle.  
“These mausoleums you see in the distance are the locations for where a lot of important people in echani history are buried and our father is one of them.  
Every year, we have a ceremony in his name, inviting friends and family, to honor his deeds and sacrifice.”

Seeing as how Mira widens her eyes and becomes momentarily stunned, it’s pretty clear to assume that she didn’t anticipate hearing this when she arrived.  
“Whoa. Uh, I…shit.  
I mean, erm…I didn’t…”  
She stops herself, inhales and tries to clear her throat.  
“Sorry, I just hadn’t expected to be drawn into a major event like this.” 

Brianna turns to look at her a bit more directly now, guilt showing across her features.  
“I apologize for not explaining it all beforehand, Mira. I understand if you don’t wish to stay.” 

Well, that kinda puts her on the spot, doesn’t it? Mira obviously realizes that Brianna likely did this inadvertently, which makes it kind of amusing.  
She’s reluctant at the notion of hanging around in a situation that is likely very emotional, much more so than she had been told of, but can she really just leave Brianna alone with people that had hurt her in the past?

“Nah, it’s fine. I’d like to stick around and see what you guys might be doing. If you want me to, of course.” 

Brianna nods immediately after she hears it.  
“I do.” 

Mira can’t help but smile at how eager she sounds.  
“Well uh, still feel like I’m a bit overwhelmed but, I’ll do my best to blend in, I promise.” 

Vieta decides to intervene now.  
“That will not be necessary. Everyone already understands that you are an outsider. As long as you don’t make an unnecessary mess, everything will be fine.” 

At this point, Mira might’ve had a pretty good quip, but decides to keep it to herself for now. The sisters turn around and start walking, with the other two following right after, as they all wander through the garden. While they do, it’s possible to see some of the other people who have been invited, most of them gathered in the middle and are conversing with each other. There’s a few dozen of them and most are echani, but Mira can see at least a handful of individuals from other species. 

As the two older sisters wander a few meters ahead, Mira takes the opportunity to move a few steps closer to Brianna, lowering her voice to a whisper.  
“If you’d told me that this was such an important occasion, I could’ve asked one of the others to come with you instead.” 

Brianna looks at her curiously.  
“Why?”

“Well, I mean…wouldn’t you rather have had, I dunno, Meetra here, instead of me?” 

She simply shakes her head.  
“I had considered speaking to her about this, as I am sure she would’ve been honored to come, but I felt that she needs to focus on other events right now.  
Besides, it was not what I wanted anyhow. I wished to have someone I could express myself to freely and be comfortable around in private. There was no one else who fit this description.”

Once more, Mira smiles, just barely being able to prevent herself from blushing. She hides it fairly well by raising a hand and scratching her own cheek.  
“Well…glad I could be of service, I guess.”  
She clears her throat, quickly changing the subject.  
“So, uh, which one of these two are older than you?”

“Both of them, but Faleni is my oldest sister. Vieta is the second youngest, only older than me.” 

“Huh. None of the middle sisters then, eh? Did they just dislike you more in the past or something?”

Brianna shakes her head.  
“Not particularly. Well, Vieta may have been somewhat more lenient than the rest, but Faleni was not. She is simply quicker at admitting her own mistakes.” 

Mira nods briefly, not sure whether she’s glad or not to hear they’re kind of self-aware.  
“So far, they have been pretty decent. I mean, I like them, but they also seem kinda…” 

She can’t find the right word and Brianna tries to pitch in.  
“Serious?”

“Yeah, that too, but that’s not quite what I meant. I feel like they’re just not very comfortable in this situation.”

A solemn expression descends upon Brianna and she sighs.  
“I had hoped that would not be all too noticeable.”

“Well, might not be to others but, I feel like it’s pretty clear that not everything is fine.” 

“Mm, I suppose you’re right.”  
She shakes her head as her mind is hit with memories of the distant past.  
“Both of them, as well as the others, treated me very poorly for a long time. They disliked me immensely, for who I was and what I represented. Despite these initial steps, things can never change all too quickly.” 

Hearing it and seeing Brianna’s furrowed brow makes Mira feel bad for her. She raises a hand to the other Jedi's shoulder.  
“Hey, if you want to leave at some point or need support, or whatever, you can always ask me. Just say the word.”

Brianna meets her gaze for a moment, relaxing a little bit. This might be the reason she brought Mira with her in the first place.  
“I can handle myself if necessary…but I appreciate the gesture.” 

Their speed has been rather slow up to this point and they only now come closer to the stream of water. As they do, the two other echani shifts their positions to look at their younger sister.  
“We were a little bit curious about Atris”, Faleni starts. “Is she still at the enclave? We realize that she did some things which may not have been entirely acceptable either.” 

A surge of emotions can be felt by Mira within Brianna, but she keeps her mask intact.  
“She remains, yes, mostly due to master Surik. She believes that Atris has caused a lot of pain and chaos, and therefore needs to atone for it.  
In many ways, there might be too much instability without her, and while I am not entirely comfortable with this situation, I have to agree that she is quite capable.” 

“Does this mean that she still works within the archives?”

“Yes, she does, but she is no longer in charge. I am the head historian now.” 

There is a brief bit of silence, as the sisters nod, and Faleni continues afterwards.  
“You have always been very adept when it comes to the management of the information and knowledge stored in those areas. I am sure you will succeed with this endeavor.” 

Just like before, Vieta follows the flow of the conversation and proceeds with another topic, this time while addressing Mira.  
“What is the current situation between the two of you? What are you, really?”

Mira is somewhat taken aback, hesitating when being asked so directly.  
“U-uh, what? Do you mean erm, like, the two of us?” She gestures between herself and Brianna.

“Yes, of course.” 

“Well, that’s-…you know, it’s uh…heh, kinda funny in a way, but…”  
She glances at Brianna, but sees that she is momentarily silenced as well.  
“I mean, w-we wouldn’t really say that it’s-  
If…if you look at it from uh, another perspective, I guess that we’re…”

From the way she completely fails to say anything of note, it’s pretty clear they’ve come to realize that they haven’t yet defined what it is their current status has become. It’s hard to tell how they would describe it. There’s obviously a lot of categories they can choose from, but how much do any of those apply, or is there a little bit of each in them? In some ways, they’d say both yes and no, which is why this is no easy question to answer.

“Are you friends?”, Faleni eventually asks, when no proper response have been given.

Mira seizes this opportunity.  
“Yes! I mean, yeah, that’s mostly true.” 

Brianna nods slowly, also giving Mira another glance.  
“We are very good and very close friends.”

It seems she’s on a mission to make Mira smile as much as possible today.  
Vieta looks at them curiously and tilts her head slightly.  
“Are you lovers as well?”

And at the same time, it appears that the sisters are there to shock her. Mira is left in silence, her mouth agape and her cheeks flushed. What would she even say in this situation? Not only is it kind of awkward to consider, but she has also never really been confronted by someone’s family like this before.  
This means she happens to miss when the faint smile forms on Brianna’s lips.  
“Sometimes.” 

Mira’s turns sharply in Brianna’s direction, a confused expression on her face. She has no words and right now, she’d prefer to do nothing else than join the dead and bury herself in the ground. 

Nothing more is said and once the group have joined the other people in the center, only a couple of minutes go by until the ceremony starts.  
For Mira, it is quite an interesting experience, enough to let her forget the earlier embarrassment. She believed that there might simply be a lot of talking for a while, maybe discussions among the participants, but it seems they had more of a show in mind.

Several of those present, albeit only echani, gather up in the very middle of the group, outside the building where Yusanis was buried. What they perform might be called a dance ritual of some kind, but most of it simply involves getting into a variety of battle stances. The others stand and watch silently, which means Mira isn’t told exactly what meaning and purpose each pose has, but with a few instruments playing slowly at the same time, there’s at least a melancholic and peaceful sensation to it. In some ways, Mira quite enjoys it.  
Towards the end, some incense is lit as well, and a few spiced drinks are distributed, which everyone present partake of. No words are spoken throughout the entire thing, not even when most are allowed to walk up to the building to touch the door, as silent communication seems to be preferred. 

Once it is done, and those present all decide to go their own path, Brianna and Mira notices how the sisters are watching them.  
“Wait, can we speak with you for a moment?”, Faleni asks.

Brianna regards her quietly at first, and then nods curtly.  
“Of course. What is it?”

She looks unsure, as does Vieta, and both of them wait until no one else but these two are within earshot.  
“We…we would like to apologize to you, Brianna, for all that we have done and the pain we have caused you.  
It would be very easy for us to lay all the blame upon Atris, but that would not be the honest way. We have to take some of it as well, perhaps even more than her.” 

Vieta inclines her head in agreement.  
“We have had time to consider our actions and it’s the only conclusion we can come to. It has not been, and most likely won’t be, quite as easy to convince the others of this truth, but you did not deserve what we did to you and we all have to acknowledge this fact.”

“Vieta and I promise, here and now, that we shall do our best to make it up to you.”  
She halts for a moment, clearing her throat and licks her lips, reluctant to look into Brianna’s eyes, but forces herself to continue.  
“Would it be possible for you to forgive us, in time?” 

The display itself does seem fairly humble and the feelings of guilt are ones that both Jedi can clearly pick up. Mira has to admit that she’s a bit astounded to see them admit this here and now, with her present. For some reason, she had believed this was done during their last meeting, but it does make sense that this occasion is a more appropriate one.  
Turning to Brianna, the answer isn’t quite as apparent, especially when the historian refuses to let her emotions run free. It’s very possible that this is what she might’ve wanted, what she always wished to hear being said but, now that it’s happening, is this an acceptable end to hostilities that has lasted for almost a lifetime?

“I can”, she eventually tells them, in an even tone, “but only if you are willing to look past your old judgements and principles. I am not the same woman you once knew, not the Last Handmaiden, nor are your roles as obvious as they used to be. You have to acknowledge not just me, but those I keep around myself, before I am able to fully forgive you.” 

“We…we understand”, Faleni says carefully.

“On top of this, you must also come to Telos at some point, and meet with master Surik. She and the other Jedi are important to my life and it is crucial that you and my remaining sisters understand this.” 

The two sisters stand and contemplate her response, realizing the difficulties they shall have to face on this journey. Shortly after, they both nod once more.  
“It won’t be easy”, Vieta admits, “but we do wish to try. We want to be able to meet with you again and perhaps be the family we never were.” 

Shortly after, the two of them approaches her and to Mira’s continuing surprise, Brianna accepts their arms, as all three embrace each other in a hug. It brings an even brighter expression to the other Jedi than previously.  
Once they’ve separated, the two sisters address Mira one last time.  
“You are welcome to return to Eshan at some later date”, Faleni tells her. “Next time, perhaps you and our sister will be able to visit our family’s home.” 

Mira raises a hand to awkwardly scratch the back of her neck.  
“Well uh, I definitely wouldn’t mind that, as long as I’m not in the way or anything.” 

Their conversation ends not long after this, and once more, the Jedi duo are on their way back to the shuttle.  
It’s quiet as they walk side by side, the events of the last couple of hours running through their heads. Brianna enjoys these moments, for the most part, but Mira is somewhat more uncertain. She wants to say something, but not sure exactly what.

“Look, I uh…I’m sorry about earlier.”

Brianna turns to face her, arching a confused eyebrow.  
“About what?”

“That it got a bit weird, I mean. And that my behavior was very, you know, awkward. I just hadn’t expected to be meeting your sisters in a very obvious family situation and, like, I didn’t know what to tell them when they had all those questions. Maybe I should’ve said something different and been a little smoother but-“

She stops babbling when she senses how Brianna’s hand wraps around one of hers.  
“I don’t mind. It was very nice to have you here.” 

Mira shifts her gaze towards Brianna’s, still doubting herself.  
“You sure?”

“Positive. I would not have wanted anyone else to be at my side this day. I know how you might see yourself, but you make me feel calmer than most other people.”  
She smiles somewhat wistfully.  
“Without you, it is likely that I would not have been as confident when seeing my sisters again after all this time. Your presence was quite crucial.”

Shortly after she says this, she takes a few steps closer, letting their bodies touch and she rests her head on Mira’s shoulder. It makes the former hunter smile as well and she squeezes Brianna’s hand a little tighter. She has never felt so warm before.


End file.
